Tops

10.Easter Island

Easter Island

Located some 2,000 miles west of the Chilean Coast, Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is a tiny island that has become famous for its remarkable isolation in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. It is relatively small, measuring roughly seventy square miles in size, and is today home to around 4,000 people. The island has become well known for the massive rock sculptures called Moai that dot its beaches. They were carved sometime around the year 1500 by the island’s earliest inhabitants, and it has been said that the massive wood sleds needed to transport them from one place to another are a big part of what led to the almost total deforestation of Easter Island. Scientists have argued that the island was once lush and tree-covered, but today it is relatively barren, a feature that only adds to the sense of sheer isolation that is said to overtake most first-time visitors. When the first settlers migrated to the island, the journey took several weeks, but today there is a small airport (reportedly the most remote in all the world) that carries passengers to the island by way of Santiago, Chile.

9. La Rinconada, Peru

For sheer inaccessibility, few locations in South America compare to La Rinconada, a small mining town in the Peruvian Andes. Located nearly 17,000 feet above sea level, La Rinconada is considered the “highest” city in the world, and it is this stunning geography that makes it so desolate. The city is located on a permanently frozen glacier, and can only be reached by truck via treacherous and winding mountain roads. Just reaching the city takes days, and even then altitude sickness, combined with the shantytown’s deplorable condition, means that few people can handle living there for long. Still, the town is said to have as many as 30,000 inhabitants, almost all of whom are involved in the business of mining gold, which is extracted from beneath the ice inside nearby caverns. In addition to its remoteness, La Rinconada has gained a dubious reputation as a destination for poor and desperate workers, many of whom work the mines for free in exchange for the right to keep a small percentage of the gold ore they find.

8. McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Located literally at the bottom of the world, Antarctica is easily one of the most remote places on the face of the Earth. There are no native inhabitants to the continent, but there are several research centers constantly in operation there, and of these McMurdo Station is the largest. Located on Ross Island near the northern tip of the continent, the almost perpetually frozen station is a center of international research, and is home to as many as 1,200 scientists and workers during the warmer summer months. It’s one of the most desolate locations on the planet, but although McMurdo is as far from a major city as any location in the world, even it is no longer as backwater as it used to be. Trips by boat to Antarctica once took months, sometimes even years, but McMurdo’s three airstrips have helped make the region a much less remote destination than before. Thanks to this, the scientists at the station now enjoy many of the modern amenities found in major cities, including gyms, television, and even a nine-hole Frisbee golf course.

7. Cape York Peninsula, Australia

Australia is known both for its extremely low population density and untouched natural beauty, both of which are best exemplified by Cape York, Peninsula, a huge expanse of untouched wilderness located on the country’s northern tip. The region has a population of only 18,000 people, most of whom are part of the country’s aboriginal tribes, and it is considered to be one of the largest undeveloped places left in the world. This helps contribute to its stunning natural beauty, but it also makes Cape York about as difficult to reach as any destination in Australia. The peninsula has become a popular destination for adventurous tourists, who drive jeeps and trucks down the unpaved Peninsula Development Road whenever it isn’t closed due to flooding during the rainy season. But even with 4-wheel drive trucks, many of the more heavily overgrown parts of Cape York Peninsula are completely inaccessible, and some regions have still only been surveyed by helicopter. Photo: http://www.abc.net.au

6. Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland

At 836,000 square miles in size, Greenland is the world’s largest island, but its tiny population of 57,000 people means that it’s also the most desolate. And of all the towns in Greenland, perhaps none is as remote (or as difficult to pronounce) as Ittoqqortoormiit, a small fishing and hunting village located on the island’s eastern shore, to the north of Iceland. The town is part of a municipal district roughly the size of England, but it has a population of only slightly more than 500 people, meaning that each person technically has more than 150 square miles to call their own. Residents make their living off of hunting polar bears and whales, which are prevalent in the area, and by fishing for Halibut during the warmer months. Ittoqqortoormiit lies on the coast, but the seas surrounding it are almost perpetually frozen, leaving only a three-month window when the town is easily accessible by boat. There is an airport some 25 miles away, but flights are rare. For the most part, the town, one of the northernmost settlements in the world, is completely isolated in the vastness of the tundra. Photo: http://dlareh.blogspot.com (continue reading…)

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10. The 4400 - The 4400 tells the stories of 4,400 abductees after they are returned to earth….

9. True Blood - Alan Ball, creator of Six Feet Under, returns to HBO with a new series based on the novel series Southern Vampire by Charlaine Harris. The series follows Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic barmaid who finds comfort in the company of vampires since they have no brainwave activity for her to read. She and her brother Jason were raised by her grandmother after losing their parents in a flood and she tries to keep her telepathic ability a secret. Thanks largely in part to the creation of a Japanese-made synthetic blood called Tru Blood (where the series takes it name) vampires have made their existence known to the world. Sookie works at the bar ‘Merlotte’s’ which is owned and operated by her boss Sam Merlotte who has a secret of his own.

8. The Dresden Files -Ever since he was a boy, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, knew that monsters were real, just as he was able to make things happen simply with the force of his will. As he grew he began to learn of his magical heritage, given to him by his mother, and coveted by his Uncle, who would stop at nothing to possess it.
Now that he is grown Harry is the only private investigator / wizard in Chicago and listed in the phone book. He uses real magic to help him solve his cases, much to the chagrin of both the police and the magical establishment, whose shadow wars often spill into the ‘real’ world and involve people who have no idea just how magical, and dark, the world can be.

7. Star Trek DS9 - When the Cardassian occupation of Bajor ended in 2369, the mining space-station Terok Nor was left abandoned, its systems ripped out. By invitation of the provisional Bajoran government, Starfleet stepped in to oversee the rebuilding and day-to-day operations of the newly christened Deep Space Nine. Starfleet’s position was a tentative one, many Bajorans suspicious and unwelcoming as a result of Cardassian oppression and brutality. However the alliance held and soon DS9 was a center of travel and commerce thanks to a newly found stable wormhole, leading to the largely unexplored Gamma Quadrant.

6. Smallville - Smallville tells the tale of a teenage Clark Kent in the days before he was Superman. It is the town where he came from where very strange things started happening with his arrival in a spaceship in the midst of a meteor storm of green rocks. Clark must deal with a variety of individuals given powers by the green rocks, keep his powers a secret, cope with his friendship with a young Lex Luthor, and balance the two girls in his life, Chloe and Lana. The show also shows us how Lex Luthor develops from a friend of Clark’s and kinda-okay guy to (presumably) the villain who will plague Superman in his later years.

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10. Kristen Stewart - is an American actress. She is best known for playing Bella Swan in Twilight, and will reprise her role in New Moon and Eclipse. She has also starred in films such as Panic Room, Zathura, In the Land of Women, Adventureland, and The Messengers.

Kristen Stewart

9. Jessica Simpson - is an American singer, actress, and television personality who rose to fame in the late 1990s. She has achieved seven Billboard Top 40 hits, and has three gold and two multi-platinum RIAA-certified albums. Simpson starred with her then-husband Nick Lachey in the MTV reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. She ventured into the country music market in 2008 and released Do You Know.

Jessica Simpson

8. Heidi Klum - is a German model, actress, television host, business woman, fashion designer, television producer, artist, and occasional singer. She is married to singer Seal.

Heidi Klum

7. Britney Spears -  is an American singer and entertainer. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears first appeared on national television in 1992 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel’s television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to 1994. In 1997, Spears signed a recording contract with Jive, releasing her debut album …Baby One More Time in 1999. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. Her success continued with the release of her sophomore album, Oops!… I Did It Again in 2000, which established her as a pop icon and credited for influencing the revival of teen pop in the late 1990s

Britney Spears

6. Miley Cyrus - is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Cyrus is best known for starring as the title character in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. Following the success of Hannah Montana, in October 2006, a soundtrack CD was released in which she sang eight songs from the show. Cyrus’ solo music career began with the release of her debut album, Meet Miley Cyrus on June 23, 2007, which included her first top ten single “See You Again”. Her second album, Breakout, was released on July 22, 2008. Breakout is Cyrus’ first album that does not involve the Hannah Montana franchise. Both albums debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200.[5] In 2008, she appeared in the Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert film.

Miley Cyrus

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10. Day Break - Detective Brett Hopper is having a really bad day, accused of killing Asst. DA Alberto Garza. He has an alibi, but no one believes him. When he realizes that he has been framed, he tries to run away but has to stop when he learns that his loved ones are also in danger. But one morning, he wakes up and relives the same day over and over again. To stop this cycle, solve the mystery and have a normal life, he must find out who framed him.

9. The Wire - In chronicling a multi-generational family business dealing illegal drugs and the efforts of the Baltimore police to curb their trade, this series draws parallels between these organizations and the men and women on either side of the battle.

8. Las Vegas - Las Vegas is a fast paced drama about one of Sin City’s biggest casinos The Montecito. It follows the lives of 6 key employees and how they solve everyday problems that occur and could cost the casino a lot of money.

7. The Mentalist - tells the tale of a man, Patrick Jane who is employed as an independent detective working with the California Bureau of Investigation to solve crimes. He was making a living a psychic and would assist the police on cases — only his life changed when he lost the two most important people in his life to one of those serial killers he was helping track. He works with the Serious Crime Unit and uses his refined observations skills to help them solve cases. He works with senior agent, Teresa Gibson, agents Kimball Cho & Wayne Rigsby and the rookie, Grace Van Pelt.

6.  The Tudors - The Tudors will focus on the rarely dramatized, tumultuous early years of King Henry VIII’s nearly 40-year, omnipotent reign (1509-1547) of England. In addition to dalliances with famous female consorts Catherine of Aragon and the infamous Anne Boleyn, the series delves into Henry’s most notable political relationships, including those with philosopher Sir Thomas More and Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, head of the Catholic Church of England during its break with Rome. (continue reading…)

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10.Jurassic Park  -$919,700,000

Huge advancements in scientific technology have been able to create an island full of living dinosaurs. John Hammond have invited four individuals, plus his two grandchildren to join him at Jurassic Park. But will everything go to plan? Especially when one of the parks own workers attempt to steal the dinosaurs embryos, and have to shut down all the electricity in the process. It’s now a race for survival with everyone located all over the island.

9.The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - $921,600,000

Sauron’s forces increase. His allies grow. The Ringwraiths return in an even more frightening form. Saruman’s army of Uruk Hai is ready to launch an assault against Aragorn and the people of Rohan. Yet, the Fellowship is broken and Boromir is dead. For the little hope that is left, Frodo and Sam march on into Mordor, unprotected. A number of new allies join with Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Pippin and Merry. And they must defend Rohan and attack Isengard. Yet, while all this is going on, Sauron’s troops mass toward the City of Gondor, for the War of the Ring is about to begin

8.Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace  - $922,379,000

This First Episode follows the young years of Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader). The friendship of Obi-wan Kenobi, Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn are also central aspects. And the beginning of the rise to power of Senator Palpatine to Emperor.

7.Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - $937,000,866

After a lonely summer on Privet Drive, Harry returns to a Hogwarts full of ill-fortune. Few of students and parents believe him or Dumbledore that Voldemort is really back. The ministry had decided to step in by appointing a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher that proves to be the nastiest person Harry has ever encountered. Harry also can’t help stealing glances with the beautiful Cho Chang. To top it off are dreams that Harry can’t explain, and a mystery behind something Voldemort is searching for. With these many things Harry begins one of his toughest years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End - $958,404,152

Elizabeth, Will and the crew of the Pearl sail off the edge of the map (literally) with the help of mysterious Tia Dalma and the late Captain Barbossa who has been raised by the dead to save Captain Jack Sparrow . He has been condemned to the terrible fate of remaining in the void of Davey Jones’ locker for eternity. But rescuing Jack isn’t the real meat of this movie - Lord Cutler Beckett has control of the heart of Davey Jones, and with that he controls the sea. The nine pirate lords of the world must unite for a final stand against Beckett, Jones and the East India Trade company  (continue reading…)

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10. Hang Nga Guesthouse a.k.a Crazy House (Vietnam)

The house is owned by the daughter of the ex-president of Vietnam, who studied architecture in Moscow.

It does not comply with any convention about house building, has unexpected twists and turns, roofs and rooms. It looks like a fairy tale castle, it has enormous “animals” like a giraffe and a spider, no window is rectangular or round,

and it can be visited like a museum.

Hang Nga Guesthouse a.k.a Crazy House

9. Cubic Houses (Rotterdam, Netherlands)

The original idea of these cubic houses came about in the 1970s. Piet Blom has developed a couple of these cubic houses that were built in Helmond.

The city of Rotterdam asked him to design housing on top of a pedestrian bridge and he decided to use the cubic houses idea. The concept behind these houses is that he tries to create a forest by each cube representing an abstract tree; therefore the whole village becomes a forest.

Cubic Houses

8. Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada)

Expo 67, one of the world’s largest universal expositions was held in Montreal. Housing was one of the main themes of Expo 67.

The cube is the base, the mean and the finality of Habitat 67. In its material sense, the cube is a symbol of stability. As for its mystic meaning, the cube is symbol of wisdom, truth, moral perfection, at the origin itself of our civilization.

354 cubes of a magnificent grey-beige build up one on the other to form 146 residences nestled between sky and earth, between city and river, between greenery and light.

Habitat 67

7. Wonderworks (Pigeon Forge, TN, United States)

Located along the main thoroughfare, you might miss this odd structure altogether if not for its unique architecture. It leans! When you drive by, don’t dismiss it as yet another tourist trap in a town full of vendors capitalizing on the lure of the Smoky Mountains. Even parents on their way to the more famous Dollywood Theme Park might want to consider Wonderworks, when trying to budget which attractions deserve their hard earned vacation dollars.

Wonderworks

6. Kansas City Public Library (Missouri, United States)

This project, located in the heart of Kansas City, represents one of the pioneer projects behind the revitalization of downtown.

The people of Kansas City were asked to help pick highly influential books that represent Kansas City. Those titles were included as ‘bookbindings’ in the innovative design of the parking garage exterior, to inspire people to utilize the downtown Central Library.

Kansas City Public Library

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8. Jennifer Aniston - is an American actress. She became famous from the mid 1990s to the early 2000s for playing the role of Rachel Green in the popular US sitcom Friends, a role for which she won an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Jennifer Aniston

She earned more than $8 million for “Marley & Me.”

7.Anne Hathaway -  is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the 1999 television series Get Real, but her first prominent role was in Disney’s family comedy The Princess Diaries (starring opposite Julie Andrews), which established her career.

She continued to appear in family films over the next three years, with lead roles in Ella Enchanted and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement in 2004. Hathaway would later venture away from the “G-rated” image her early acting career bestowed upon her, starring in the films Havoc and Brokeback Mountain. She later starred in The Devil Wears Prada, opposite Meryl Streep; Becoming Jane, in which she portrays Jane Austen, and Get Smart, opposite Steve Carell. In 2008 she earned widespread critical acclaim for her star turn in the film Rachel Getting Married, for which she won numerous awards and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.

Anne Hathaway

She was paid about $5 million for “Bride Wars,” but can expect to command more after critical acclaim for Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel Getting Married.”

6.Kate Hudson  - is an American film actress. She came to prominence in 2001 after receiving an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe for her role in the drama Almost Famous, and has since established herself as a Hollywood lead actress, starring in several films, including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Skeleton Key, You, Me and Dupree, Fool’s Gold, and Bride Wars.

Kate Hudson

She took in about $7 million each for “My Best Friend’s Girl” and upcoming “Bride Wars.”

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5.  Château de Versailles

This castle complex is Louis XIV’s masterpiece, a structure so magnificent that the state treasury was almost depleted during its construction. Also known as the Palace of Versailles, and located now on the edge of Paris, this palace became home to French nobility during the seventeenth century. As the complex grew through four “building campaigns,” Versailles became the center of French government. Louis XIV lived at Versailles, and government offices, homes of thousands of courtiers and their retinues were built there, and nobles of a certain rank and position spent time each year at the court complex. Louis XIV’s attempt to centralize the French government succeeded, as few could match the ostentatious glamour represented by Versailles.

Château de Versailles

4. Bran Castle

This is another castle that the faint of heart might want to avoid! Commonly known as Dracula ’s Castle, the Bran Castle was originally a stronghold built by the Knights of Teutonic Order in 1212. The first documentary attestation of the Bran Castle is the act issued on 19 November 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Brasov) the privilege to build the Citadel. The building started in 1378 as a defense against Turks and later became a customs post on the pass between Transylvania and Walachia. From 1920 the castle became a royal residence until the expulsion of the royal family in 1948. Today it functions as a very attractive museum of medieval arts. The official Romanian site will provide you with the lowdown on this country’s castles, so be sure to visit that site if you plan to visit Romania. (continue reading…)

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10. Prison Break - Michael Scofield is a desperate man in a desperate situation. His brother, Lincoln Burrows, is on death row and scheduled to die in a few months for a murder Michael is convinced Lincoln did not commit. With no other options and time winding down, Michael holds up a bank to get himself incarcerated alongside his brother in Fox River State Penitentiary. Once he’s inside, we learn that Michael — a structural engineer with the blueprints for the prison — has hatched an elaborate plan to break Lincoln out and prove his innocence.

9. Criminal Minds - An elite group of profilers analyze the nation’s most dangerous criminal minds in an effort to anticipate their next moves before they strike again.

8. The Tudors - The Tudors will focus on the rarely dramatized, tumultuous early years of King Henry VIII’s nearly 40-year, omnipotent reign (1509-1547) of England. In addition to dalliances with famous female consorts Catherine of Aragon and the infamous Anne Boleyn, the series delves into Henry’s most notable political relationships, including those with philosopher Sir Thomas More and Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, head of the Catholic Church of England during its break with Rome.

7. Sopranos - Meet Tony Soprano: your average, middle-aged businessman. Tony’s got a dutiful wife. A not-so-dutiful son. A daughter named Meadow. An uncle who’s losing his marbles. A hot-headed nephew. A not-too-secret mistress. And a shrink to tell all his secrets, except the one she already knows: Tony’s a mob boss who’s troubles are wrapped up in his two families. These days, it’s getting tougher and tougher to make a killing in the killing business. Just because you’re “made” - doesn’t mean you’ve got it made.

6. Death Note - Light Yagami is the top high school student of Japan who had, until recently, led a boring and uneventful life. That changed quickly when he found a mysterious notebook with the title “Death Note” on it, lying on the ground during the year 2003. Although initially skeptical, after realizing that the “Death Note” is a Shinigami’s tool with the power to kill anyone whose name is written on its pages, Light decided to use it to “cleanse” the world of evil.
Soon the many unexplainable deaths of reported criminals was noticed, and Light becomes hunted by the Japanese police force and a mysterious detective known as “L.” L quickly discovers that the murderer, that the publics dubs “Kira,” is located in Japan, and that he can kill just by knowing someone’s face and name. Light realizes that L is just as cunning, if not more intelligent than himself, and begins a cat and mouse chase with L to see who will be the first to have his identity exposed.
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10. Brigitte Bardot - is a French actress, former fashion model, singer and animal welfare/rights activist. In 2007 she was named among Empire’s 100 Sexiest Film Stars.

Brigitte Bardot

In her early life Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer. She started her acting career in 1952 and after appearing in 16 films became world-famous due to her role in controversial film And God Created Woman. During her career in show business Bardot starred in 48 films, performed in numerous musical shows, recorded 80 songs. After her retirement from the entertainment industry in the 1973, Bardot established herself as an animal rights activist. During the 1990s she became outspoken in her criticism of immigration, interracial relationships, Islam in France and homosexuality, and has been convicted five times for “inciting racial hatred”

9. Halle Berry - is an American actress, former fashion model, and beauty queen. Berry has received Emmy and Golden Globe awards for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2001 for her performance in Monster’s Ball, becoming the first and, as of 2008, only woman of African-American descent to have won the award for Best Actress. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood and also a Revlon spokeswoman. She has also been involved in the production side of several of her films.

Halle Berry

Before becoming an actress, Berry entered several beauty contests, finishing runner-up in the Miss USA (1986), and winning the Miss USA World 1986 title. Her breakthrough feature film role was in the 1991 Jungle Fever. This led to roles in The Flintstones (1994), Bulworth (1998), X-Men (2000) and its sequels, and as Bond Girl Jinx in Die Another Day (2002). She also won a worst actress Razzie Award in 2005 for Catwoman and accepted the award in person.

Divorced from baseball player David Justice and musician Eric Benét, Berry has been dating French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry since November 2005. Their first child, a girl named Nahla Ariela Aubry,[6] was born on March 16, 2008.

8. Keira Knightley - is a Golden Globe-, BAFTA-, and Academy Award-nominated English[2] film and television actress. She began her career as a child and came to international prominence in 2003 after co-starring in the films Bend It Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.

Keira Knightley

Knightley has appeared in several Hollywood films and earned an Academy Award nomination for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice. She received critical praise for her newest role as Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, in The Duchess.

As of 2008, Forbes claims Knightley to be the second highest paid actress in Hollywood (behind Cameron Diaz), having reportedly earned $32 million in 2007, making her the only non-American person on the list of highest paid actors or actresses. Knightley, however has denied such a figure.

7. Elizabeth Taylor - is an English-born American actress. Known for her acting skills and beauty, as well as her Hollywood lifestyle, including many marriages, Taylor is considered one of the great actresses of Hollywood’s golden years, as well as a larger-than-life celebrity.

Elizabeth Taylor

The American Film Institute named Taylor seventh among the Greatest Female Stars of All Time.

6. Catherine Zeta Jones - is a Welsh actress, presently based in the United States. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of UK and US television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as The Phantom, The Mask of Zorro, and Entrapment in the late 1990s. She won an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for portraying Velma Kelly in the 2002 film adaptation of Chicago.

Catherine Zeta-Jones

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